This invention may be described as an improved paint tray that is designed to allow for the simultaneous application of paint onto two commercial paint rollers and provides for roller edge wipers and traction spikes to aid in the proper distribution of paint onto the rollers to eliminate drips and runs on the surface to be painted.
During the painting of large projects, commercial painters have found it advantageous to use paint rollers that are wider than the standard nine inch residential paint roller. These commercial rollers are typically twice as wide as the standard rollers. The larger rollers allow painters to cover more wall area in less amount of time. The time saved by using a larger roller equates into increased profits for the commercial painter. To accommodate the wider roller, standard paint trays have been widened. The prior art paint trays do not adequately allow the painter to evenly apply paint to the wider roller. Wet paint has a low viscosity and a low coefficient of friction. These characteristics of paint make it difficult to evenly apply paint to a roller. Instead of rotating up the ramp of the tray, the roller slides, leaving an uneven amount of paint on the roller. Also, larger rollers are harder to manipulate in the prior art paint trays, often leaving excess paint on the ends of the roller, which drips onto the floors and walls in the rooms being painted. The prior art devices do not provide for a tray that allows for the proper application of paint to the roller.
This invention may be described as a paint tray that allows for the proper application of paint onto a paint roller. The paint tray has a central paint well and two angled paint roller ramps, which allow two painters to apply paint to their rollers simultaneously with the tray positioned between the painters. The roller ramps include a plurality of traction spikes that engage the nap of the roller, forcing the roller to turn while rolled up and down the ramp. The tray includes four outboard rectangular legs that support the paint well off of the ground and distribute the weight of the tray over a smaller surface area, increasing tray stability and preventing movement. The tray also includes roller end wipers, which are positioned along the sides of the tray. The wipers effectively engage and wipe the ends of the paint roller to remove excess paint.